Published: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at 2:42 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at 2:42 p.m.

Facts

Fight the power

St. Petersburg resident Chuck Berry implores Floridians to shut off their electricity for five minutes at 9 p.m. Dec. 7 as a silent protest against electric utility companies and the state Public Service Commission.

Chuck Berry, the home health nurse from St. Petersburg, wants the lights turned off — for a few minutes, anyway.

The latter Mr. Berry (no relation to the singer) wants people to shut off their electricity for five minutes at 9 p.m. on Dec. 7 as a form of silent protest.

Against whom? Against power companies and their rates; against the Public Service Commission and its feckless oversight of electric utilities; against all the big guys who try to take advantage of the little guys.

"It's more like a symbolic thing," said Berry, 57, an Army veteran.

Berry spent $707.99 on classified ads to publicize his protest. The ads were published in the Star-Banner, the Gainesville Sun, the Independent Florida Alligator, the Orlando Sentinel and Berry's hometown Tampa Bay Times.

"It's time for the little guy to speak up and be heard," the ad copy reads.

He also plans to get the word out through Facebook and friends.

He chose Dec. 7 because, as Pearl Harbor Day, it will be memorable. Also, he wanted to give people enough advance notice.

Berry seethes over the state law that allows utility companies (like Duke) to collect money for nuclear plants that might never be built.

He rails against the Public Service Commission, which he calls "a damn farce." In his opinion, the appointed commissioners rubber-stamp requests for rate increases.

"Every time they (power companies) ask for money, they get it," Berry said.

A Duke Energy spokesman said his company complies with all state requirements concerning rates and such.

In fact, he noted that Florida's Office of Public Counsel — the voice of the state's consumers in utility cases — approved a recent settlement agreement with state regulators that, among other things, froze Duke's base rates through 2018.

As for the PSC, it issued this statement after a journalist pointed out Berry's ad:

"Electric customers are entitled to voice their opinion to their utility provider in any number of ways. Every Duke customer class — residential, business, and industrial — was represented in the recent settlement agreement, and their representatives agreed that it was in the best interest of their customers. The Public Service Commission approved the agreement that provides customer refunds and limits future rate adjustments."

Berry remains undaunted. His goal? "Rattle a cage if nothing else."

Contact Jim Ross at 671-6412 or jim.ross@ocala.com. Follow him on Twitter @jimross96.

<p>Chuck Berry, the rock n' roll legend from St. Louis, loves the bright lights.</p><p>Chuck Berry, the home health nurse from St. Petersburg, wants the lights turned off — for a few minutes, anyway.</p><p>The latter Mr. Berry (no relation to the singer) wants people to shut off their electricity for five minutes at 9 p.m. on Dec. 7 as a form of silent protest.</p><p>Against whom? Against power companies and their rates; against the Public Service Commission and its feckless oversight of electric utilities; against all the big guys who try to take advantage of the little guys.</p><p>"It's more like a symbolic thing," said Berry, 57, an Army veteran.</p><p>Berry spent $707.99 on classified ads to publicize his protest. The ads were published in the Star-Banner, the Gainesville Sun, the Independent Florida Alligator, the Orlando Sentinel and Berry's hometown Tampa Bay Times.</p><p>"It's time for the little guy to speak up and be heard," the ad copy reads.</p><p>He also plans to get the word out through Facebook and friends.</p><p>He chose Dec. 7 because, as Pearl Harbor Day, it will be memorable. Also, he wanted to give people enough advance notice.</p><p>Duke Energy supplies Berry's power. "I make enough money. I can pay my bills," he said.</p><p>But he's worried about the people who aren't so fortunate.</p><p>Berry seethes over the state law that allows utility companies (like Duke) to collect money for nuclear plants that might never be built.</p><p>He rails against the Public Service Commission, which he calls "a damn farce." In his opinion, the appointed commissioners rubber-stamp requests for rate increases.</p><p>"Every time they (power companies) ask for money, they get it," Berry said.</p><p>A Duke Energy spokesman said his company complies with all state requirements concerning rates and such.</p><p>In fact, he noted that Florida's Office of Public Counsel — the voice of the state's consumers in utility cases — approved a recent settlement agreement with state regulators that, among other things, froze Duke's base rates through 2018.</p><p>As for the PSC, it issued this statement after a journalist pointed out Berry's ad:</p><p>"Electric customers are entitled to voice their opinion to their utility provider in any number of ways. Every Duke customer class — residential, business, and industrial — was represented in the recent settlement agreement, and their representatives agreed that it was in the best interest of their customers. The Public Service Commission approved the agreement that provides customer refunds and limits future rate adjustments."</p><p>Berry remains undaunted. His goal? "Rattle a cage if nothing else."</p><p><i>Contact Jim Ross at 671-6412 or jim.ross@ocala.com. Follow him on Twitter @jimross96.</i></p>